For those suffering heart-related medical conditions, it was probably best if they stayed home from the Utah Jazz’s 103-101 pulse-stopping victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night.
LeBron James scored on a pull-up 3-pointer to tie the Jazz at 101-101 with 6.8 seconds remaining. Rather than call timeout, Deron Williams raced down the court and layed the ball softly through the net with just more than a second remaining. Cleveland’s ensuing half-court lob flew over the backboard and Utah secured its third win of the season.
James did everything he could to will his Cavs to a win, and he nearly did. Utah simply did not have an answer for his triple-double of 32 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists.
The Jazz learned to take their lumps, however, and responded with a balanced attack led by Carlos Boozer’s fifth double-double of the season — 23 points and 12 rebounds.
Williams shredded the Cavs defense for 12 assists to go along with his 15 points, including the game-winner. Once the Cavs last-second prayer sailed errantly as time expired, Williams ran down the sidelines, screaming and high-fiving the front-row spectators.
“We just get it and go,” Williams said. “We find that works for us. They don’t get a chance to set up on defense. They’re looking back to see what we’re doing, and while they do that we’re racing up the court.”
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan tried to call timeout because he didn’t think the quick-scoring opportunity presented itself for Williams.
“I tried to call timeout,” Sloan said. “Fortunately, we got it inbounds and (Williams) knew what to do with it.”
Jazz forward Paul Millsap came off the bench for perhaps the most productive 27 minutes of his career, recording 24 points, five rebounds and five steals.
The second-year player sparked the Jazz with 15 points in the second quarter and played solid defense on Cavs’ center Zydrunas Ilgauskas — who stands seven inches taller — down the stretch while a struggling Mehmet Okur sat on the bench.
Another of the Jazz’s sophomores — Ronnie Brewer — had yet another strong game with 16 points and a season-high five steals.
“The difference in the ballgame was Utah’s two young fellas,” Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. “I thought Millsap and Brewer had a whale of a game.”
The Jazz now stand at 3-2 and will head to Seattle on Friday to play highly regarded rookie Kevin Durant before returning home Saturday to play the Memphis Grizzlies.
Jarad ReddekoppMatt Harpring drives in for a lay-up during Wednesday’s Jazz match-up against the Cleveland Cavaliers.